Granny Square Blanket Commissions

If you would like a Granny Square Blanket, contact me through the above link as I'm now taking commissions. 

They are the perfect gift for an expectant mother or for your home, which you can add a personal touch to.

On average, my blankets measure to 32 rows, approximately 87cm / 34" wide.

My blankets traditionally have a slight curve to them (see above and below) and can come with a scallop edge, as optional.

They take approximately 4 weeks to make and can be made in any colours and patterns.

32 row, size 4 crochet hook, wool supplied by you: £20

32 rows, size 4 crochet hook, wool supplied by me: £30

If you would like another size blanket or stitch, I'm happy to discuss.

All of my wool is 100% acrylic, to ensure durability and ease of washing.

Babies Babies Everywhere...

Everyone I know is having a baby, therefore I've spent the last month or two crocheting away in baby blanket world...here are a couple of them that I have completed/started:

Above is one which I completed with a scallop edge for Rowan's sister, who is due in June.

Below is one which I've started in a rainbow effect for one of my best friends who is due in August.

I've also spent three days cutting up all of my remnants into quilting squares; I now have a large tin of quilting squares that I shall make an oval quilt for her new crib. I'm all rather excited all in all. Roll on more babies.

Crochet: Granny Square Baby Blankets

I'm not dead, I've been busy creating, not massive amounts but enough to keep a girl's hands from being still. I've made 40 metres of yellow and black bunting for my friend's wedding and have made numerous little things for friends but all the while, I've been crocheting granny square baby blankets:

Everyone I know is having babies, it's crazy and I keep on making presents for both boys and girls and they are always boys. I now have an abundance of girl presents, so luckily, I'm predicting that my friend, Jo, has a daughter, within the next year or so and she is going to be oh so spoilt with gifts. YAY! Or a boy who has a lot of pink gifts?!

These photos show my first completed blanket of 2013, it's a collection of soft baby acrylics, I'd love to make a blanket out of stunningly soft cashmere, but it's not practical, as most babies vomit, poo, dribble a lot, and therefore the blankets need to be thrown in the washing machine and dried in the tumble dryer with all of the other clothing, instead of being hand washed and dried flat rolled in a towel and placed in the airing cupboard ... actually, I wouldn't be surprised if I found a hand washed cashmere baby blanket rolled in a towel, that has been drying for 3o years, in my mum's airing cupboard ... lets be fair, during the first years of most babies lives, the mother is not of Earth, let alone giving a shit about the washing. My friends can thank my thoughtful nature of ease of washing by paying me in kind, failing that, cash or wine is always accepted!

Anyhow, I'm extremely proud of my first blanket of 2013, which I completed with a scallop edge.
Below are the other three blankets I've been crocheting. For two of them, I'm awaiting a parcel of cheap wool from the mother dearest, who was kind enough to pop to my old wool shop, Masons, in the country and pick up some balls on my behalf! Curse stupid London and it's expensive wool shops!

Stringy Lamp Shade

Tom and I had a go at making one of these last night.

We took their advice but I made a few adjustments and have some personal advice.

You will need:

An old towel or large piece of tarpaulin

A glass bowl or old plastic container

1/4 litre Cornflour

1/8 litreWater

1/8 litre PVA glue

Wool or String (I recommend wool)

Balloons

Right, as you might all know, if you mix water and cornflour together, it becomes a compound, where as, if you mix the water and glue together and then introduce the cornflour, it turns to a crazy ultra strength glue mixture.

It's best to do this on a hard floor, or outside in a dry area. My flat has hard floors but we stupidly set it up in the middle of our sitting room, and then had to limbo every time we walked in. So think carefully before you set up.

Suspend some wool or doweling rod (if you're lucky to have one), across an area, and place the towel or tarpaulin under it. Blow up the balloon and suspend from the line/rod.

We found that we needed two of us, as one of us spent most of the time holding the balloon in place when placing the gluey wool. We also took the advice and lubed up the balloon (which is a new experience).

Cut lengths of the wool and dip in to the glue. In hind sight, I would have ensured that we'd stripped off more of the excess glue, than we did, when pulling the wool out of the mixture and placing on the balloon.

We also ensured that there was at least three inches round, clear at the top of the balloon, as we have a wide fitting on our sitting room light fixture.

We experienced some issues with getting the wool under the balloon to stick, stupid gravity. But we found the more we added, under and over, the easier it was to hold it in place. We also, purposefully tucked the ends and beginnings under, or next too, other lines.

Add as little or as much as you'd like, it's a personal choice. Leave until dry. We had to restring the suspension, as it was touching the ground by the end. They suggest you leave it for 24 hours, but our balloon popped after 17 hours, which was eventful!

I tried to cut off the excessive glue and loose woollen strands, but decided I was only being anal.

They also suggest you spray paint it afterwards (I was going to glitter spray it but decided to leave it neutral/nature), but I was thinking that different coloured wools would be quite fun. Rainbow lampshades any one?

I used some thin wire and suspended it from the fitting. It's not great, but as a first attempt, I was relatively pleased (what can I say, I'm a tough crowd).